My Sister Ain't Home

Chapter 11

'Hey, Heero Yuy speaking, I'm not home at the moment so... well... you know the procedure... BEEP'

Duo sighed, he didn't want to say this in a message but he had already waited to long, he had to do it now. 'Hey Heero, It's me, Duo... I hate leaving you this on your tape but... I can't come to your concert tomorrow. I'm sorry. My agent has other things planned for me. So... I'm really sorry... Call me.' He hung up and sighed again. Great, Heero will be disappointed and he will miss the perfect opportunity to meet up with Hanako. Life sucked!

He went to bed but it took a long time to fall a sleep. He hated to admit it, for he hated to admit he had even the slightest feeling for Heero, but he did feel guilty about cancelling. He was looking more forward to this concert then he had expected. Because of Hanako? Probably but some part of his mind started to doubt that more and more as days went by and he had a blast of a time with Heero. But just as friends. Though Heero was trying to kiss him more and more often. Seeking contact and beginning to get suspicious, the last thing he wanted.

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The dreadful Saturday. Late afternoon. Duo was being blinding from the lights that were all pointed in his direction and the flash of a photo-camera finished the job as he tried his best not to squint his eyes each time. He said on a bar stool, against a simple white background. He was wearing tight, worn, jeans and no shirt. Before the suit they had put some oil on his skin to make it shine like he was sweating. But now, under the hot lamps, it seemed unnecessary. His hair was unbound and sometimes he had to move his head to make his hair 'dance' as the photographer called it. Weird, sick, Irish dude.

'The Camera loves you Duo! Lean back a bit!'

He leaned back.

'Look hot, come on baby!'

He tried, he really tried, but maybe Bill was right, maybe he really was a bad actor as his face remained passive.

'Come Duo! Look like you're gonna orgasm!'

Duo snorted and the photographer sighed and look to the side at Bill. 'I can't work with him snorting all the time! And he might be a singer, he sure is no model! Look at him! I've seen statues looking more lively then him!'

'Just a few more shots, then a dress-change, another few shots and it's over.' Bill came closer to the man and whispered: 'I know he isn't the best guy to work with but displaying his body is what brings us the money.'

Duo rolled his eyes, did Bill really think he couldn't hear him? He was so stupid he almost pitied him. Well, not really. Even if Bill was very slowly tortured to death with the worst method ever he will still grin like a maniac. Pitying Bill was not on his 'To Do' list, ever.

After a few more shots he was ushered to the dressing-room where Pam was immediately all over him. Combing and braiding his hair and then fixing his makeup. But he frowned as it took an awful lot of time.

'What are you doing?'

'Bill wants some heavy make-up.' She turned him in his chair so that he could look at his reflection in the mirror. He gasped. He looked like a girl! The skin around his eyes was nearly white, giving him a surreal look, he also sported fake, bright green eyelashes and his lips were painted a shiny red.

He raised his eyebrow, he almost exploded with anger. 'Does Bill really enjoy torturing me this much?' He asked his reflection. But neither his reflection or Pam answered the question that faded into thin air.

'It is for your new single. Surreal. Bill didn't tell you?'

He sighed 'Of course Bill didn't tell me! He never tells me anything! He doesn't have to because I'm his fucking property!' He stood up and in his anger he threw all the pots and tubes of make up on the ground and he smashed his fist into the mirror, shattering it. He could feel the anger and the adrenaline rushing through his veins. Bill and some crew members entered the dressing room and were by his side immediately. Trying to calm him.

'Is this how you like to see me!' He screamed at Bill. If the others weren't gripping his arms he would be flying to the other side of the room, jumping on Bill and turning his face into pulp so badly even his own mother wouldn't be able to tell him apart from roadkill. 'Huh! Like a Doll!'

Bill looked perplexed, but since he didn't look scared to death Duo's mission wasn't over yet and he screamed incoherent words. Something inside of him just snapped. He couldn't take this. All those mental pictures from before came rushing to his head. Flashing before his eyes. Not only of his failure here, with Bill and Teffra, but also his family, his cursed parents. He was beyond control and the others saw it and figured there was only one thing they could do. Knocking him out cold.

But it didn't even matter. As soon as he woke up again, things were going as usual. His whole melt down was forgotten as the shoot went on and Bill decided to immediately record the song in the studio so that it would be in the stores within two weeks. He was eager to get his money. To spent it on more hookers and buy his wife a third car to keep her happy and be sure to be out a lot so that she could maintain her affair with the gardener.

Duo sighed as Pam drove him home. Will he be like Bill one day? Will he end up like him? Doing hiw wife a favour by leaving the house, knowing that she'll use the time to fuck the gardener. Was that the future he and Hee-Hanako had?

'You freaked out this afternoon.'

'What time is it?' He asked, avoiding the subject.

'Three am. It was a long day... What happened.'

'... I don't know... something just snapped. I wanted to go to Heero's concert so badly and when I saw the make-up... I realised I was giving up on many great things just to make a fool out of myself. I was so mad at myself...'

'Heero's concert huh?' She said with a smile that told him: I knew you'll love HIM in the end.

'Yeah, Hanako would have been there as well.'

'... oh...'

He grinned as he saw her disappointed face. 'Heero is a great guy, he is the first real friend I've ever had.'

'Friend? Heero doesn't quite think the same...'

'I know, I know, no need to rub it in.'

'Duo, I want you to stop.'

'What, the Heero-thing?'

'That too... But mostly I want you to stop being Bills bitch-'

'Hey! I am no one's bitch!'

She raised her eyebrow and looked at him sceptically.

'Okay, so I'm his bitch, big deal.'

'Duo, you're not seeing the entire picture! Bill keeps saying that without him, you are nothing.'

'Thanks for reminding me.'

'Listen! He is twisting the truth! It is him who is nothing without YOU, Duo! You are the star! Get another record-company! Get another agent!'

Duo just looked out of the window onto the dark streets. He was listening, taking it all in, but he wasn't sure if she was right. Getting another record-company was very hard. It could take so long that the public has already forgotten all about you. He had seen it happen before. Switching record-companies, was star killer.

'Duo, you really have talent, don't waste it with someone like Bill and Teffra!'

'Could you shut up?'

'You what Duo? I can't!' she stopped the car at the side of the road and turned to him 'You have gone crazy! Where the fuck did your spirit went! You are losing fans Duo! You're not selling half as much albums and singles as before, you know why! Because people can see! They can see that there is no fire burning in your eyes. Whenever a camera aims at you your eyes glaze over... This... "career" is killing you!'

Duo just shook his head, angry that even his friend had to lecture him after a day like this. 'You know what Pam!' He opened the door, 'It ain't that far, I think I'll walk from here!' He stepped out and slammed the door shut. He half expected her to follow him, to beg him to get in the car again. But she didn't. She made a U-turn and headed for her own home. In a way it disappointed him, but in another way he was relieved. Arguing with her made his blood boil more then it did when he argued with someone else. Maybe because her words always hit straight at home.

He shivered and embraced himself. It was late and cold and all he was wearing were jeans and a tight dark blue wife beater (AN: I hope you all know a wife beater is a tight sleeveless T-shirt ' ). His mind was clear as he walked back home. Pam words began to sink in, but it only made him feel more fucked up and like a total loser. And angry, for she was right once again. Since when had he become so weak? So vulnerable? And since when did he care so much about this singing career? Had he really become addicted to the attention? The rock and roll syndrome some older singers called it. The cheering of the crowd and the number of singles you sell go to your head and you can't live without. He used to think it was pathetic and it was, wasn't it? God! He was going to blow! He needed to get things in a row or his life will fall apart!

He reached his penthouse and tried to sleep, but he came out of bed only five minutes later and started pacing through the room. He felt like... well, he didn't know what he felt like, he felt fucked up, that's all he knew. He needed to talk to someone. He had grabbed the phone and dialed the first three numbers of Pams phonenumber without even thinking about it. But he stopped himself. They were in a fight. He needed to talk to someone that would agree to anything he said. Someone who wouldn't raise a fight or try to change his mind.

Heero.

No, he couldn't call Heero! Half of his fucked up state was caused by the problem he had with Heero and Hanako!

But still he dialled his number.

Every time the phone rang he had to stop himself from hanging up as he anxiously waited for Heero to pick up. After the seventh ring he started to lose hope, maybe Heero was a heavy sleeper. He was about to hang up when:

'Hello?' A tired voice asked from the other side of the line.

'Hey.' He scraped his throat, now that he had him on the line, what will he say?

'Duo? Why are you calling me this late?' Heero's voice sounded deeper then usual and he suddenly felt bad for waking him up but he shook the silly thought out of his head.

'I just... needed to talk to someone.' Way to go Maxwell! Could you sound MORE stupid!

'Is everything okay?' The voice was no longer sleepy, it was worried.

'I... I don't know.' All breaks were lose as he had one of those moods in which you just say everything that is on your mind. He hated those moods, the paparazzi always used those moods against him. He hated the paparazzi, but back to the phone-call:

'What wrong? Do you want me to come over?'

Did he? Did he want him to come over? Did he want Heero to see him in this state, did he want Heero near him while he was a pathetic and confused puddle of goo? 'Yes.' Oh, he definitely hated these moods. The paparazzi will have a field day!

'Okay, I will be there in a few minutes, okay?'

'... Thanks Heero.'

'You're welcome.' The line was disconnected, Heero probably hurried to get to him, thinking the situation was worse then it was. Maybe he thought he was going to kill himself?

He fell down on his couch and looked at the ceiling. It took an awful lot of time for Heero to get there but twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. He was up and at the door faster then the eye could see. Opening it he couldn't help but give a slight smile. Heero wore navy blue sweatpants and a white T-shirt twice his size. His hair looked even more messy then usual, if that was possible. He stood there in front of him, panting.

Duo suddenly realised Heero didn't have a car so he must have took the bus and ran the last two hundred meters to his place.

Not sure what to do Heero blushed and looked at the ground. He squealed softly as Duo pulled him into his apartment and shut the door behind him. As soon as he was in, Duo hugged him and sighed. He felt unsure, Duo had never been so close with him, he always pulled away whenever he tried to hug or kiss him. But boy did it feel good to have his arms around his smaller body.

Duo's eyes flared open as he suddenly realised how intimate he now was with Heero, he immediately let the boy go. Precisely what he was afraid of after he asked Heero to come over. That he will bring even more confusion.

'I'm sorry to call you this late. I had a... bad day.'

'That's okay.' Heero said sweetly. Damn that boy for being so kind!

'The thing is... I'm not even sure if like being a singer!' Duo started, confusion Heero for a second 'Bill is evil and Teffra is Satan on PMS! I'm making a complete fool out of myself. Today's photo-shoot was SO embarrassing!'

He ended up pouring his heart out. Telling him everything, leaving out only things like how he was being a major jerk by using him to get to his sister. But when he was done, he didn't feel all that much better. He felt better about Teffra and such, but now he felt so bad about using Heero it didn't make a difference. All Heero did was listen. Instead f arguing like Pam tended to do. He was all ears and comfort and somewhere along the line Duo saw how much the young Japanese man was enjoying this. Not enjoying his pain, but enjoying the fact that his 'boyfriend' was opening up to him and wasn't afraid to sit so close him their thighs were touching. His heart clenched each time those compassionate blues looked at him.

Then he couldn't take it anymore! He HAD to tell Heero what he was up to and how he felt about Hanako, he owed him at least that much. He owed him the truth.

'Heero, I have to tell you something...' He said, though still doubting.

'More?' He joked, but then turned serious again, his eyes urging him gently to continue.

'I... I...' Oh God... I can't do it. 'I... Never mind... it's... uhm...'

Heero smiled and grabbed Duo's chin to make him look at him. 'That's okay, everyone has a secret.'

Duo smiled. God bless Heero's kind heart. 'What is yours?' he asked jokingly. The lightened mood shadowing his misery just for a short moment. But long enough to enjoy the good company.

'I don't know.' Heero said, thinking, looking honest, 'But it must be horrible.' He finished with a tiny smile.

They stared into each others eyes for ages until Duo yawned loudly, making Heero laugh. 'Damn, what time is it?'

Heero looked at the clock that hung on the wall. 'It is a quarter past five.'

'Five! Oh God, Bill will pick me up in fifteen minutes!'

'No he won't.'

Duo raised his eyebrow.

'What, you never pretend a head- or stomach-ache to get out of work? I sure do.'

'And here I was thinking you were an angel.' He stood up and immediately called Bill, doing his best, I'm-So-Sick-I-Can't-Even-Talk voice. But all the while he was smiling as Heero looked at him from his spot on the couch, swaying his finger in a mock warning, like mothers did when their child did something wrong.

'Sick? You sure? You looked fine last night.' Bill said.

Define fine. 'Well, I don't anymore.' He coughed to make it more realistic and Heero gave him thumbs up. He laughed but managed to conceal it into another cough.

'Fine, have it your way.' Bill said angry and hung up the phone. Duo knew he will be over in ten minutes to check on him, but he already looked like shit, all he had to do was hide Heero for a moment.

'You wanna stay? Sleeping through the day?'

Heero nodded.

'No cat to feed at home?' He joked.

'Well IF I HAD a cat, it still wouldn't be a problem. My sister his home. She won't leave for another two weeks.'

Duo swallowed and his heart stopped. Hanako was at home? Here? In New York? Instead of on the other side of the globe in Japan she was HERE! Maybe he should talk Heero into going to his place. No, no, no, no. Heero said she would be here for two more weeks. Let's not ruin the day he will spent with heero. As a friend.

But why, as he looked at Heero face, did he have the idea the other man didn't have the same plan for today?

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'Hmmm... You really do look like shit. Even Pam can't make you pretty, nor can our computers.' Bill took him in and snorted, then he looked through the apartment, checking for any guests, but Heero was well out of sight. No worries.

He coughed some more and Bill took a step back. 'Well, get better soon.' He said and quickly left the scene.

Duo smiled, and Bill dared to say he was a bad actor!

AGAIN not what I was going for but hey... it's a chapter, let's not complain to much!

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